Where are the Pittsburgh FOODIES at?! Whether you are an experienced food connoisseur or just someone who loves trying something new, the time is here…it’s PITTSBURGH SUMMER RESTAURANT WEEK! From August 9-15th, some of the best dining spots in the Burgh have put together an experience unlike any other. What is restaurant week, you may ask? It is a week filled with prix fixe menus at your favorite restaurants all over the city —the new, and the classics. During this week, make one special reservation with a significant other, or try a little bit of everything with some friends. If one week of delicious specials isn’t enough, not to worry! The majority of this summer’s restaurants are extending their specials through August 22nd! Just make sure whatever you decide to do, do it right. Here’s a rundown of the best way to go about booking for restaurant week.
First and foremost, scope out the menus. Are you the type of person who menu stalks before you go out to eat? Even if you’ve been there a hundred times? Now is your time to SHINE. There are over 30 restaurants on this summer’s restaurant week lineup, so depending on your location you could have a number of menus to check out. The next thing to know is if the restaurant runs its specials during lunch, dinner, or both. It’s important to decide when you are planning to go and make sure you’re looking at the right menu. Certain restaurants may have different restaurant week specials for lunchtime and dinner time. After you’ve decided on a date and time, it’s important to check if the restaurant accepts reservations. Most typically do because restaurant week tends to bring in more business. Be sure to book ahead if available!
When visiting PittsburghRestaurantWeek.com, you’ll see certain icons next to each restaurant to conveniently tell you if they are participating in the extended second week, if they have outdoor seating, if you can reserve a spot online, and more! This is super helpful when making a decision on which spots fit your needs best.
Now that you’ve got your plan of attack, let’s dive into some of the menus for this summer’s restaurant week. If you haven’t yet taken a look at the specials, let us give you some guidance. The prices of the prix fixe menus range from $17.21 to $45.21. This being said, there’s something for just about everyone in terms of cost. Taking a closer look at the menus, you’ll also find the different courses that are offered. Some restaurants have a full 4-course meal, like Senti in Lawrenceville, whose menu offers a starter, pasta course, entree, and dessert. Perfect for a date night or a dinner with a close friend! Other menus offer a specialty item such as Doughbar in Southside which is crafting up a chicken alfredo pizza for this week! You’ll also find several restaurants that fall right in the middle and offer an appetizer and entree, or an entree and dessert. Pretty much anything goes, so make sure you take a look at each menu to understand what that spot offers.
If you’re looking for somewhere more casual for perhaps a group, you can’t go wrong with spots like Twelve Whiskey BBQ or The G.O.A.T. Sports bar. Our recommendation for Twelve Whiskey BBQ is the pimento cheese dip and southern caesar salad, topped with lemon pepper chicken and garlic pretzel croutons, need we say more? The dessert is the churro bite tray of your dreams. At G.O.A.T, the menu is set with the three items for the salad, main, and dessert course. Here you’ll get a grilled watermelon panzanella salad, pulled pork sliders, and a funnel cake topped with strawberries and cream.
One of the more upscale experiences to look at is Morton’s Steakhouse, offering delicious entrees such as a 6oz. center-cut filet mignon or a 16oz. double cut prime pork chop. Choose a starter, entree, accompaniment (side), and one of their decadent desserts from the prix fixe menu that leaves a lot of options open for the diner. Another spot if you’re looking for a higher-end experience is the LeMont. This Mt. Washington restaurant overlooks the whole city of Pittsburgh and is a fantastic spot to check out for restaurant week because the price is RIGHT. Start with soup or salad, and then select from 4 stellar entrees — chicken parmesan, scallops l’orange, casino surf n turf, or fire-roasted red lentil rotini. End your meal with their cannoli or tiramisu.
No matter how you choose to restaurant week, enjoy every minute of it! It only comes around twice a year. Treat yourself and start counting down the days till Winter Restaurant Week!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.